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General MSU Athletic Communications

Morgan State University Names Erlease Wagner as Interim Athletic Director

BALTIMORE, Md. (March 22, 2022) — Morgan State University President David K. Wilson has announced that Erlease Wagner, Esq. will serve as interim vice president and director of Athletics until a permanent replacement for the recently departed Edward Scott, Ph.D. is named. The University is currently conducting a national search with the assistance of an executive and talent recruitment firm to identify a successor to lead the Athletic Department. Since 2017, Wagner has served as the deputy athletic director for the department. 
 
"Erlease is a highly capable, competent, and caring individual when it comes to the success of our student-athletes, and her leadership is without question," said President Wilson. "She has the full support of the University as well as my confidence in her ability to continue the Athletic Department's high level of excellence until a new vice president and athletic director has been named."
 
In addition to her current duties as the primary sports administrator for football and women's basketball, Wagner will continue to have oversight of compliance, athletic department human resource affairs, strength and conditioning, sports medicine, nutrition, while handling the day-to-day operations of the athletic department. One of Wagner's first major decisions will be to name an interim head football coach to lead operations following former coach Tyrone Wheatley's decision to return to the NFL as a position coach. 

"I thank President Wilson for the opportunity to lead the athletic department during this transition period, and Dr. Scott for his guidance and dedication to Morgan State Athletics," said Wagner. "I look forward to working closely with our student-athletes, the athletic department staff members and the university community throughout this change of leadership within the athletics department."
 
"Dr. Scott provided a roadmap which will allow for seamless and continuity and ensure our student-athletes maintain their success in the classroom and on the playing field as they prepare to pursue their passions following graduation from Morgan State University." 
 
Wagner, who is in her sixth year at Morgan, served for several months as the interim director of athletics, following the retirement of former Morgan State athletic director, Floyd Kerr, until the hiring of Scott in October of 2016.
 
Wagner first joined the Morgan State athletic department on October 28, 2015, when she was named Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and the Senior Woman Administrator (SWA).
 
Prior to coming to Morgan State, Wagner spent 15 years in various compliance capacities at Syracuse University, with the last eight years as the director. As the director of Athletic Compliance, Wagner was responsible for coordinating and maintaining the University's comprehensive compliance program.
 
Wagner earned her bachelor's degree in Slavic literature and languages from the University of Virginia. She attended graduate school at Florida State University and St. Petersburg State University (Russia). Wagner then earned a law degree from the University of Richmond.
 

About Morgan
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
 
 
 
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